Photos of Pluto and Its Moons

New Horizons' Zoomed-in Sunset View of Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

A zoomed-in view of a photo NASA’s New Horizons probe took on July 14, 2015, when it was just 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) from Pluto. The near-sunset scene, which is 230 miles (380 km) across, shows rugged ice mountains up to 11,000 feet (3,500 meters) high and wide, flat plains.

Sunset View of Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft looked back toward the sun 15 minutes after its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015, capturing this near-sunset view of the dwarf planet’s icy mountains and flat ice plains. The image was taken from a distance of 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) from Pluto; the scene is 780 miles (1,250 km) wide.

Fog on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

The setting sun illuminates fog or near-surface haze on Pluto in this small section of an image taken by NASA’s New Horizons probe on July 14, 2015, when it was 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) from the dwarf planet. The image covers a stretch of land 115 miles (185 km) wide.

Vast Ice Plains in Pluto's Heart

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

This image, a composite of several photos taken by NASA’s New Horizons probe, shows a vast Pluto ice plain called Sputnik Planum. The box shows the location of other detailed glacier images.

Flowing Ice on Pluto's Plains

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

This New Horizons image shows how ice (probably frozen nitrogen) is flowing from Pluto’s mountains through valleys (outlined by red arrows) onto the plains known as Sputnik Planum; the “flow front” there is outlined by blue arrows in this photo, which covers an area 390 miles (630-kilometer) wide.

Flowing Ice on Pluto's Plains (2)

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

A backlit, oblique view of a New Horizons image showing how ice (probably frozen nitrogen) is flowing from Pluto’s mountains through valleys (outlined by red arrows) onto the plains known as Sputnik Planum; the “flow front” there is outlined by blue arrows in this photo, which covers an area 390 miles (630-kilometer) wide.

Mosaic of Sputnik Planum on Pluto

This mosaic, made of high-resolution images of Pluto sent back from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft from Sept. 5 to 7, 2015, shows the icy plain Sputnik Planum (informal name), the bright region across the center.

Perpective View of Pluto

A perspective view of Pluto, based on the latest high-resolution images downlinked from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, gives the impression of looking down from a height of approximately 1,100 miles (1,800 km) above Pluto. Image released Sept. 10, 2015.

Informal Names for Features on Pluto’s Sputnik Planum

Image showing the informal names being used by the New Horizons team for features on the icy Pluto plains known as Sputnik Planum. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Informal Names for Features on Pluto’s Moon Charon

Image showing the provisional names being used by the New Horizons team for features on Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Global Map of Pluto (With Grid)

The science team of NASA’s New Horizons mission produced an updated global map of dwarf planet Pluto. Image released July 27, 2015.

Global Mosaic of Pluto Shown in True Color

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Four images from New Horizons’ Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) combine with color data from the Ralph instrument to create this sharper global view of Pluto. The spacecraft obtained the images at a distance of 280,000 miles (450,000 kilometers). Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto's Flowing Ices

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

New Horizons space probe discovered flowing ices in Pluto’s heart-shaped feature, as shown by the swirling patterns. Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto and Charon Shown in Natural Color

Credit: NASA/JUAPL/SwRI

Pluto and Charon appear in a composite of natural-color images obtained by New Horizons space probe on July 13 and 14, 2015. Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto's Hazy Atmosphere

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Pluto’s atmosphere around the planet in this image taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 15, 2015, from a distance of about 1.25 million miles (2 million kilometers). Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto's Heart in False Color

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Pluto's frozen 'heart' yields some icy details in this false-color view of the dwarf planet released by NASA on July 23, 2015. The image was taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. Read the full story here.

Frozen Plains of Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

NASA's New Horizons space probe obtained this image of the frozen plains of Pluto, released during a press briefing held on July 17, 2015, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. [See our complete coverage.]

Sputnik Planum and Norgay Montes on Pluto

Credit: NASA TV

NASA's New Horizons space probe obtained this image of the Sputnik Planum and Norgay Montes regions of Pluto, released during a press briefing held on July 17, 2015, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. [See our complete coverage.]

First Well-Resolved Image of Nix

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

NASA's New Horizons space probe obtained the first well-resolved image of Nix, Pluto's moon, released during a press briefing held on July 17, 2015, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. [See our complete coverage.]

Frozen Carbon Monoxide on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

New Horizons’ Ralph instrument revealed evidence of carbon monoxide ice on Pluto, in the western part of the region known presently as Tombaugh Regio (Tombaugh Region), the highly visible "heart of Pluto." The contours overlain on the image show that the concentration of frozen carbon monoxide increases towards the center of the “bull’s eye.” The data was acquired by the spacecraft on July 14, 2015, and transmitted to Earth on July 16. [See our complete coverage.]

Pluto's Escaping Atmosphere

Credit: NASA/APL/SwRI

This diagram depicts the interaction of the solar wind (the supersonic outflow of electrically charged particles from the sun) with Pluto’s mainly nitrogen atmosphere. Some of the atmosphere's molecules possess enough energy to overcome Pluto’s weak gravity and escape into space. Image released July 17, 2015. [See our complete coverage.]

Charon Close-Up, July 16, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SwR

NASA's New Horizons space probe found a strange feature on Pluto's moon, Charon, a depression with a peak in the middle. The image was taken on July 14, 2015 at a range of 49,000 miles (79,000 km). [Read full story.]

New Horizons Closest View of Pluto

Credit: NASA TV

New Horizons space probe provides the highest resolution image of Pluto ever seen as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland. This region near Pluto’s equator surprisingly contains a range of youthful mountains rising to heights of 11,000 feet (3,500 m) above the surface.

New Horizons Close View of Charon

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

New Horizons provides unprecedented details of Pluto's moon, Charon, as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland.

Methane on Pluto

Credit: NASA TV

New Horizons' Ralph instrument using the LEISA spectrometer obtained information about the distribution of methane on Pluto, as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland.

Hydra Revealed

Credit: NASA TV

For the first time, New Horizons revealed the shape and size of Pluto's moon, Hydra, as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland.

July 13, 2015, New Horizons Image of Pluto

Credit: NASA/APL/SwRI

New Horizons spacecraft took this image of Pluto on July 13, 2015, at a distance of 476,000 miles (768,000 kilometers) from the surface. The color image uses lower-resolution color information from the Ralph instrument acquired earlier on July 13.

Pluto, July 12, 2015

New Horizons captured this photo of Pluto on July 12, 2015 from a distance of 1.6 million miles (2.5 million kilometers).

Charon, July 12, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

New Horizons spacecraft captured Pluto's moon, Charon, on July 12 from a distance of 1.6 million miles (2.5 million kilometers).

Charon's Craters and Chasms (Annotated)

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

Annotated version of the Charon image captured by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 11, 2015.

Pluto and Charon compared to Earth

Credit: NASA

Graphic showing how Pluto and Charon would appear if placed slightly above Earth's surface and viewed from a great distance. Recent measurements by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft reveal indicate that Pluto has a diameter of 2370 kilometers, 18.5 percent that of Earth, while Charon has a diameter of 1208 km, 9.5 percent that of Earth.

Charon's Craters and Chasms

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

This photo of Charon, taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 11, 2015, highlights the big Pluto moon’s intriguing dark polar cap and shows probable craters and canyons as well.

Pluto Seen by New Horizons, July 11, 2015

Image of Pluto captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on July 11, 2015. The photo shows linear features that may be cliffs, as well as a large circular feature that could be an impact crater.

Charon, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

This image of Charon was obtained by New Horizons’ Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on July 8, 2015.

Pluto and Charon, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

New Horizons captured Pluto and Charon from a distance of about 3.7 million miles (6 million kilometers) on July 8, 2015.

Pluto and Charon in Color, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

This image of Pluto (right) and Charon, taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 8, 2015, combines a view captured by the probe’s long-range camera with color information obtained earlier in the mission from the Ralph instrument.

Pluto, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

New Horizons’ Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) captured Pluto on July 8, 2015. The bright edge below the dark “whale” is real, not the result of image processing.

Heart-Shaped Area on Pluto

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

New Horizons took this image on July 7, 2015, at a distance of just under 5 million miles (8 million kilometers) from Pluto. A large heart-shaped bright area appears at right. [Read full story.]

Pluto Unveiled

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Buie (Southwest Research Institute)

This is the most detailed view to date of the entire surface of the dwarf planet Pluto, as constructed from multiple NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken from 2002 to 2003. The center disk (180 degrees) has a mysterious bright spot that is unusually rich in carbon monoxide frost. The image was released in February 2010. See the dwarf planet turn in a video based on these images.

Map of Pluto

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

This map of Pluto was created from images taken from June 27 – July 3, 2015, by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on New Horizons spacecraft, incorporating lower-resolution color data from the spacecraft’s Ralph instrument. [Read full story.]

High-Resolution Views of Pluto by NASA’s New Horizons

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

These high-resolution views of Pluto were by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, obtained between July 1 and 3, 2015. [Read the full story.]

Color Image of Pluto by New Horizons

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

The image shows Pluto in color, obtained by New Horizons spacecraft on July 3, 2015, using color data gathered earlier. [Read the full story.]

Pluto's Mysterious Dark Spots

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

New color images from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft show two very different faces of Pluto, one with a series of mysterious evenly spaced dark spots along the equator.

Surface Features Emerging on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

Pluto and its largest moon Charon, as photographed by New Horizons on July 1, 2015. The inset shows Pluto enlarged; features as small as 100 miles (160 kilometers) across are visible.

Mysterious Dark Spots on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

New Horizons scientists are puzzled by a series of evenly space dark splotches the spacecraft has spotted on Pluto.

Pluto and Charon in Color

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Southwest Research Institute

This color view of Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, was captured by NASA's approaching New Horizons spacecraft. The image is a still from a six-frame movie composed of photos New Horizons took between June 23 and June 29, 2015.

Pluto and Charon Seen by New Horizons

Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, were captutred by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on June 29, 2015, at a distance of 11.3 million miles (18.2 million kilometers).

Pluto's Moons: Hazard Search Images

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

These images show the difference between two sets of 48 combined 10-second exposures with New Horizons' long-range camera, taken at on June 26, 2015, from a range of 21.5 million kilometers to Pluto. The known small moons, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx, are visible as adjacent bright and dark pairs of dots, due to their motion in the 105 minutes between the two image sets.

Full Portrait of Pluto and Charon

The full portrait of Pluto and and its largest moon Charon, taken by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) instrument on board New Horizons, and released on June 29.

Pluto and Charon - Barycentric Orbit

Credit: NASA

Pluto and its largest moon Charon orbit their mutual center of gravity (marked with 'x') in this still from the first color animation of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured between May 29 and June 3, 2015.

Long Range Reconnaissance Imager Images of Pluto

These images of Pluto from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft show views of the dwarf planet as it rotates, revealing details about the dimensions of its dark surface patches.

New Horizons LORRI Images of Pluto April 15 and May 10, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

This image taken on May 10, 2015, shows Pluto in the latest series of New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) photos, compared to a LORRI image taken on April 15.

New Horizons LORRI Images of Pluto April 16 and May 12, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

This image taken on May 12, 2015, shows Pluto in the latest series of New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) photos, compared to a LORRI image taken on April 16.

New Horizons LORRI Images of Pluto April 12 and May 8, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

This image taken on May 8, 2015, shows Pluto in the latest series of New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) photos, compared to a LORRI image taken on April 12.

Pluto’s Moon Nix Chaotic Spin

Credit: NASA, ESA, M. Showalter (SETI Inst.), G. Bacon (STScI)

These illustrations of Pluto’s moon Nix show how the orientation of the moon changes unpredictably while it orbits the Pluto-Charon system.

New Horizons Captures all 5 of Pluto's Known Moons

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured these views of Pluto and its moons on April 25, 2015.

Pluto Moons Nix and Hydra Spied by New Horizons

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Southwest Research Institute

NASA's New Horizons probe captured these views of the Pluto moons Nix (yellow diamond) and Hydra (orange diamond) between Jan. 27 and Feb. 8, 2015. Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, are the fuzzy white blob in the images' center. Right-hand images have been processed to remove glare created by Pluto, Charon and background stars.

Pluto's Moons: Size and Brightness

Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Field (STScI)

This illustration shows the scale and comparative brightness of Pluto’s four tiny moons, as observed by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope from 2005 through 2012. Pluto’s binary companion, Charon (discovered in 1978) is placed at the bottom for scale. The textures seen here are purely for illustration purposes.

Pluto and Charon - Pluto centric View

Credit: NASA

This color view of Pluto and its largest moon Charon show the pair in a Pluto-centric view as seen by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during one of nine observations between May 29 and June 3, 2015. New Horizons will fly close by Pluto on July 14.

New Horizons' Image of Pluto Deconvolved

These images, taken by the LORRI instrument, have been processed using a method called deconvolution, which sharpens the original images to enhance features on Pluto. Deconvolution can occasionally introduce "false" details, so the finest details in these pictures will need to be confirmed by images taken from closer range in the next few weeks.

Pluto and Charon in Orbital Dance

The dwarf planet Pluto (center) and its largest moon Charon are seen by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft in this still from an animated set of photos captured between July 19 and 24 in 2014. The New Horizons images show how Pluto and Charon orbit a central point, known as a barycenter. New Horizons will fly by Pluto, a space first, in July 2015.

New Horizons Image of Charon Orbiting Pluto

Credit: New Horizons

A still image from an animated GIF show New Horizon spacecraft's view of Charon orbiting Pluto in July 2014.

New Horizons Sees Pluto and Charon

Credit: New Horizons (via Twitter as ‏@NewHorizons2015)

New Horizons spacecraft viewed dwarf planet Pluto and its large moon Charon (about 10,500 miles or 17,000 km. apart) with its LORRI camera, at a distance of over 249 million miles (400 million km.). Image released July 24, 2014.

ALMA View of Pluto and Charon 2

Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF

ALMA radio observatory in Chile observed Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, on July 15, 2014.

Pluto and Charon on July 15, 2014

Credit: B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

A still from an animated image of ALMA data shows the motion of the moon Charon around the icy dwarf planet Pluto on July 15, 2014.

Pluto and Charon on July 11, 2014

Credit: B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

A still from an animated image of ALMA data shows the motion of the moon Charon around the icy dwarf planet Pluto on July 11, 2014.

Pluto and Charon Seen by New Horizons

New Horizons LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) composite image showing the detection of Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, cleanly separated from Pluto itself. The frame on the left is an average of six different LORRI images, each taken with an exposure time of 0.1 second. The frame to the right is the same composite image but with Pluto and Charon circled; Pluto is the brighter object near the center and Charon is the fainter object near its 11 o’clock position. Images released July 10, 2013. [Read the Full Story]

Charon as a 'Bump' on Pluto

Charon is visible as a “bump” moving around Pluto in the moon’s discovery images, taken with the 1.55-meter (61-inch) Kaj Strand Astrometric Reflector at the U.S. Naval Observatory’s Flagstaff Station in 1978. [Read the Full Story]

Kerberos and Styx Welcomed to Pluto System

Credit: IAU

The International Astronomical Union has officially approved Kerberos and Styx as the new names for two of Pluto's moons. Image released on July 2, 2013.

Colors of Pluto

Credit: Hubble

Dwarf planet Pluto is seen in an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Pluto's Satellite System Showing New Fourth Moon

Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)

Illustration of the Pluto satellite system orbits with newly discovered moon P4 highlighted, released July 20, 2011.

Pluto Moons Names Styx and Kerberos

Credit: SETI

The moons of Pluto, including newly named Styx and Kerberos (formerly P5 and P4), are shown in this SETI image during a Google+ Hangout webcast unveiling the new names on July 2, 2013.

Pluto System Showing Fifth Moon (P5)

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI Institute)

This image, taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, shows five moons orbiting the distant, icy dwarf planet Pluto. The green circle marks the newly discovered moon, designated P5, as photographed by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 on July 7, 2012.

Hubble Discovers a Fifth Moon Orbiting Pluto (Unannotated)

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI Institute)

A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reporting the discovery of another moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. Image released July 11, 2012.

Pluto-bound Spacecraft Spots Its Target

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI.

A white arrow marks Pluto in this New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) picture taken Sept. 21, 2006, marking the spacecraft's first look at its target planet.

Pluto Infographic

Credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com

Inside dwarf planet Pluto.

Compass and Scale Image of Pluto

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI institute)

New annotated image showing Pluto and moons, including the newly discovered P4, released July 20, 2011.

Fourth Moon Discovered Around Pluto

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI institute)

Two labeled images of the Pluto system, released on July 20, 2011, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 ultraviolet visible instrument with newly discovered fourth moon P4 circled. The image on the left was taken on June 28, 2011. The image of the right was taken on July 3, 2011.

Hubble Finds Pluto's Moons Less than Colorful

Credit: NASA/ESA/A. Stern/H. Weaver/HST Pluto Companion Search Team.

These NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of Pluto and its moons were taken on March 2, 2006.

Two More Moons Discovered Orbiting Pluto

Credit: NASA/ESA/JHU/APL/SwRI

Hubble images revealing Pluto, its large moon Charon, and the planet's two new satellites. The candidate moons aren't visible in the short-exposure image [left], but can be seen in the middle and right-hand images.

Trick Allows Scrutiny of Pluto's Moon

Credit: MIT and Williams College

From left to right is the before, during and after of the occultation of C313.2 by Charon on July 11. The brightest object in the center of the frame is Pluto. Below and to the left is the merged light from Charon and the background star. During the occultation (center image), only Charon is visible. The images are from the 6.5-meter Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

New Portrait Made of Pluto and Its Moons

Credit: David Tholen

An image of the Pluto system taken with the one of the ground-based Keck telescopes in Hawaii. The Pluto system moved with respect to the background stars during the one hour of observations, leaving the stars trailed in this image.

To Pluto with Postage: Nine Souvenirs Stow Away on NASA Probe

This artist's rendering depicts the New Horizons spacecraft as it approaches Pluto and its moons in summer 2015.

The Pluto System As Seen from Nix or Hydra

Credit: NASA, ESA and G. Bacon (STScI).

The artist's concept gives a view of the Pluto system from the surface of Nix or Hydra, two of its moons discovered in 2005. Nix and Hydra are two to three times farther from Pluto than its large moon, Charon (to the right of Pluto), which was discovered in 1978.

Pluto's Identity Crisis Hits Classrooms and Bookstores

Credit: Lowell Observatory.

The announcement of Pluto's discovery in 1930, put out by the Lowell Observatory a few weeks after the observations had been made and analyzed.

Pluto's Atmosphere Warmer than Thought

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

Artist’s impression of how the surface of Pluto might look. The image shows patches of pure methane on the surface.

Pluto's Moon Is an Ice Machine

An artist's conception of Charon with Pluto in the background. The plumes and brighter spots depicted on Charon are thought to due to ammonia-laced water erupting from deep beneath the moon's surface.

Artist's Impression of Dwarf Planet Eris

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist's impression shows the distant dwarf planet Eris. New observations have shown that Eris is smaller than previously thought and almost exactly the same size as Pluto. Eris is extremely reflective and its surface is probably covered in frost formed from the frozen remains of its atmosphere.

Artist’s Impression of the Dwarf Planet Eris and Moon Dysnomia

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist's impression shows the distant dwarf planet Eris in the distance with its moon Dysmonia in the foreground. New observations have shown that Eris is smaller than previously thought and almost exactly the same size as Pluto. Eris is extremely reflective and its surface is probably covered in frost formed from the frozen remains of its atmosphere. Dysnomia appears to be a darker and less reflective body.

Dwarf Planet Eris' Shadow Path During November 2010 Occultation

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist’s impression shows the shadow of the dwarf planet Eris as it was crossing the Earth during the occultation during November 2010. The regions along the path saw a faint star briefly disappear as its light was blocked by Eris. Studies of where the event was seen, and for how long, have allowed astronomers to measure the size of Eris accurately for the first time. Surprisingly, they find it to be almost exactly the same size as Pluto and that it has a very reflective surface.

Artist's Impression of the Dwarf Planet Eris

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist's impression shows the distant dwarf planet Eris. New observations have shown that Eris is smaller than previously thought and almost exactly the same size as Pluto. Eris is extremely reflective and its surface is probably covered in frost formed from the frozen remains of its atmosphere. The distant Sun appears to the upper right and both Eris and its moon Dysnomia (center) appear as crescents.

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New Horizons' Zoomed-in Sunset View of Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

A zoomed-in view of a photo NASA’s New Horizons probe took on July 14, 2015, when it was just 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) from Pluto. The near-sunset scene, which is 230 miles (380 km) across, shows rugged ice mountains up to 11,000 feet (3,500 meters) high and wide, flat plains.

Sunset View of Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft looked back toward the sun 15 minutes after its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015, capturing this near-sunset view of the dwarf planet’s icy mountains and flat ice plains. The image was taken from a distance of 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) from Pluto; the scene is 780 miles (1,250 km) wide.

Fog on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

The setting sun illuminates fog or near-surface haze on Pluto in this small section of an image taken by NASA’s New Horizons probe on July 14, 2015, when it was 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) from the dwarf planet. The image covers a stretch of land 115 miles (185 km) wide.

Vast Ice Plains in Pluto's Heart

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

This image, a composite of several photos taken by NASA’s New Horizons probe, shows a vast Pluto ice plain called Sputnik Planum. The box shows the location of other detailed glacier images.

Flowing Ice on Pluto's Plains

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

This New Horizons image shows how ice (probably frozen nitrogen) is flowing from Pluto’s mountains through valleys (outlined by red arrows) onto the plains known as Sputnik Planum; the “flow front” there is outlined by blue arrows in this photo, which covers an area 390 miles (630-kilometer) wide.

Flowing Ice on Pluto's Plains (2)

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

A backlit, oblique view of a New Horizons image showing how ice (probably frozen nitrogen) is flowing from Pluto’s mountains through valleys (outlined by red arrows) onto the plains known as Sputnik Planum; the “flow front” there is outlined by blue arrows in this photo, which covers an area 390 miles (630-kilometer) wide.

Mosaic of Sputnik Planum on Pluto

This mosaic, made of high-resolution images of Pluto sent back from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft from Sept. 5 to 7, 2015, shows the icy plain Sputnik Planum (informal name), the bright region across the center.

Perpective View of Pluto

A perspective view of Pluto, based on the latest high-resolution images downlinked from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, gives the impression of looking down from a height of approximately 1,100 miles (1,800 km) above Pluto. Image released Sept. 10, 2015.

Informal Names for Features on Pluto’s Sputnik Planum

Image showing the informal names being used by the New Horizons team for features on the icy Pluto plains known as Sputnik Planum. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Informal Names for Features on Pluto’s Moon Charon

Image showing the provisional names being used by the New Horizons team for features on Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Global Map of Pluto (With Grid)

The science team of NASA’s New Horizons mission produced an updated global map of dwarf planet Pluto. Image released July 27, 2015.

Global Mosaic of Pluto Shown in True Color

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Four images from New Horizons’ Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) combine with color data from the Ralph instrument to create this sharper global view of Pluto. The spacecraft obtained the images at a distance of 280,000 miles (450,000 kilometers). Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto's Flowing Ices

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

New Horizons space probe discovered flowing ices in Pluto’s heart-shaped feature, as shown by the swirling patterns. Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto and Charon Shown in Natural Color

Credit: NASA/JUAPL/SwRI

Pluto and Charon appear in a composite of natural-color images obtained by New Horizons space probe on July 13 and 14, 2015. Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto's Hazy Atmosphere

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Pluto’s atmosphere around the planet in this image taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 15, 2015, from a distance of about 1.25 million miles (2 million kilometers). Image released July 24, 2015.

Pluto's Heart in False Color

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Pluto's frozen 'heart' yields some icy details in this false-color view of the dwarf planet released by NASA on July 23, 2015. The image was taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. Read the full story here.

Frozen Plains of Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

NASA's New Horizons space probe obtained this image of the frozen plains of Pluto, released during a press briefing held on July 17, 2015, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. [See our complete coverage.]

Sputnik Planum and Norgay Montes on Pluto

Credit: NASA TV

NASA's New Horizons space probe obtained this image of the Sputnik Planum and Norgay Montes regions of Pluto, released during a press briefing held on July 17, 2015, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. [See our complete coverage.]

First Well-Resolved Image of Nix

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

NASA's New Horizons space probe obtained the first well-resolved image of Nix, Pluto's moon, released during a press briefing held on July 17, 2015, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. [See our complete coverage.]

Frozen Carbon Monoxide on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

New Horizons’ Ralph instrument revealed evidence of carbon monoxide ice on Pluto, in the western part of the region known presently as Tombaugh Regio (Tombaugh Region), the highly visible "heart of Pluto." The contours overlain on the image show that the concentration of frozen carbon monoxide increases towards the center of the “bull’s eye.” The data was acquired by the spacecraft on July 14, 2015, and transmitted to Earth on July 16. [See our complete coverage.]

Pluto's Escaping Atmosphere

Credit: NASA/APL/SwRI

This diagram depicts the interaction of the solar wind (the supersonic outflow of electrically charged particles from the sun) with Pluto’s mainly nitrogen atmosphere. Some of the atmosphere's molecules possess enough energy to overcome Pluto’s weak gravity and escape into space. Image released July 17, 2015. [See our complete coverage.]

Charon Close-Up, July 16, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SwR

NASA's New Horizons space probe found a strange feature on Pluto's moon, Charon, a depression with a peak in the middle. The image was taken on July 14, 2015 at a range of 49,000 miles (79,000 km). [Read full story.]

New Horizons Closest View of Pluto

Credit: NASA TV

New Horizons space probe provides the highest resolution image of Pluto ever seen as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland. This region near Pluto’s equator surprisingly contains a range of youthful mountains rising to heights of 11,000 feet (3,500 m) above the surface.

New Horizons Close View of Charon

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

New Horizons provides unprecedented details of Pluto's moon, Charon, as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland.

Methane on Pluto

Credit: NASA TV

New Horizons' Ralph instrument using the LEISA spectrometer obtained information about the distribution of methane on Pluto, as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland.

Hydra Revealed

Credit: NASA TV

For the first time, New Horizons revealed the shape and size of Pluto's moon, Hydra, as presented in a NASA press conference on July 15, 2015, at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland.

July 13, 2015, New Horizons Image of Pluto

Credit: NASA/APL/SwRI

New Horizons spacecraft took this image of Pluto on July 13, 2015, at a distance of 476,000 miles (768,000 kilometers) from the surface. The color image uses lower-resolution color information from the Ralph instrument acquired earlier on July 13.

Pluto, July 12, 2015

New Horizons captured this photo of Pluto on July 12, 2015 from a distance of 1.6 million miles (2.5 million kilometers).

Charon, July 12, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

New Horizons spacecraft captured Pluto's moon, Charon, on July 12 from a distance of 1.6 million miles (2.5 million kilometers).

Charon's Craters and Chasms (Annotated)

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

Annotated version of the Charon image captured by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 11, 2015.

Pluto and Charon compared to Earth

Credit: NASA

Graphic showing how Pluto and Charon would appear if placed slightly above Earth's surface and viewed from a great distance. Recent measurements by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft reveal indicate that Pluto has a diameter of 2370 kilometers, 18.5 percent that of Earth, while Charon has a diameter of 1208 km, 9.5 percent that of Earth.

Charon's Craters and Chasms

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

This photo of Charon, taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 11, 2015, highlights the big Pluto moon’s intriguing dark polar cap and shows probable craters and canyons as well.

Pluto Seen by New Horizons, July 11, 2015

Image of Pluto captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on July 11, 2015. The photo shows linear features that may be cliffs, as well as a large circular feature that could be an impact crater.

Charon, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

This image of Charon was obtained by New Horizons’ Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on July 8, 2015.

Pluto and Charon, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

New Horizons captured Pluto and Charon from a distance of about 3.7 million miles (6 million kilometers) on July 8, 2015.

Pluto and Charon in Color, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

This image of Pluto (right) and Charon, taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on July 8, 2015, combines a view captured by the probe’s long-range camera with color information obtained earlier in the mission from the Ralph instrument.

Pluto, July 8, 2015

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

New Horizons’ Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) captured Pluto on July 8, 2015. The bright edge below the dark “whale” is real, not the result of image processing.

Heart-Shaped Area on Pluto

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

New Horizons took this image on July 7, 2015, at a distance of just under 5 million miles (8 million kilometers) from Pluto. A large heart-shaped bright area appears at right. [Read full story.]

Pluto Unveiled

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Buie (Southwest Research Institute)

This is the most detailed view to date of the entire surface of the dwarf planet Pluto, as constructed from multiple NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken from 2002 to 2003. The center disk (180 degrees) has a mysterious bright spot that is unusually rich in carbon monoxide frost. The image was released in February 2010. See the dwarf planet turn in a video based on these images.

Map of Pluto

Credit: NASA-JHUAPL-SWRI

This map of Pluto was created from images taken from June 27 – July 3, 2015, by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on New Horizons spacecraft, incorporating lower-resolution color data from the spacecraft’s Ralph instrument. [Read full story.]

High-Resolution Views of Pluto by NASA’s New Horizons

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

These high-resolution views of Pluto were by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, obtained between July 1 and 3, 2015. [Read the full story.]

Color Image of Pluto by New Horizons

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

The image shows Pluto in color, obtained by New Horizons spacecraft on July 3, 2015, using color data gathered earlier. [Read the full story.]

Pluto's Mysterious Dark Spots

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

New color images from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft show two very different faces of Pluto, one with a series of mysterious evenly spaced dark spots along the equator.

Surface Features Emerging on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI

Pluto and its largest moon Charon, as photographed by New Horizons on July 1, 2015. The inset shows Pluto enlarged; features as small as 100 miles (160 kilometers) across are visible.

Mysterious Dark Spots on Pluto

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

New Horizons scientists are puzzled by a series of evenly space dark splotches the spacecraft has spotted on Pluto.

Pluto and Charon in Color

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Southwest Research Institute

This color view of Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, was captured by NASA's approaching New Horizons spacecraft. The image is a still from a six-frame movie composed of photos New Horizons took between June 23 and June 29, 2015.

Pluto and Charon Seen by New Horizons

Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, were captutred by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on June 29, 2015, at a distance of 11.3 million miles (18.2 million kilometers).

Pluto's Moons: Hazard Search Images

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

These images show the difference between two sets of 48 combined 10-second exposures with New Horizons' long-range camera, taken at on June 26, 2015, from a range of 21.5 million kilometers to Pluto. The known small moons, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx, are visible as adjacent bright and dark pairs of dots, due to their motion in the 105 minutes between the two image sets.

Full Portrait of Pluto and Charon

The full portrait of Pluto and and its largest moon Charon, taken by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) instrument on board New Horizons, and released on June 29.

Pluto and Charon - Barycentric Orbit

Credit: NASA

Pluto and its largest moon Charon orbit their mutual center of gravity (marked with 'x') in this still from the first color animation of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured between May 29 and June 3, 2015.

Long Range Reconnaissance Imager Images of Pluto

These images of Pluto from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft show views of the dwarf planet as it rotates, revealing details about the dimensions of its dark surface patches.

New Horizons LORRI Images of Pluto April 15 and May 10, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

This image taken on May 10, 2015, shows Pluto in the latest series of New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) photos, compared to a LORRI image taken on April 15.

New Horizons LORRI Images of Pluto April 16 and May 12, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

This image taken on May 12, 2015, shows Pluto in the latest series of New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) photos, compared to a LORRI image taken on April 16.

New Horizons LORRI Images of Pluto April 12 and May 8, 2015

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

This image taken on May 8, 2015, shows Pluto in the latest series of New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) photos, compared to a LORRI image taken on April 12.

Pluto’s Moon Nix Chaotic Spin

Credit: NASA, ESA, M. Showalter (SETI Inst.), G. Bacon (STScI)

These illustrations of Pluto’s moon Nix show how the orientation of the moon changes unpredictably while it orbits the Pluto-Charon system.

New Horizons Captures all 5 of Pluto's Known Moons

Credit: NASA/JHU-APL/SwRI

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured these views of Pluto and its moons on April 25, 2015.

Pluto Moons Nix and Hydra Spied by New Horizons

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Southwest Research Institute

NASA's New Horizons probe captured these views of the Pluto moons Nix (yellow diamond) and Hydra (orange diamond) between Jan. 27 and Feb. 8, 2015. Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, are the fuzzy white blob in the images' center. Right-hand images have been processed to remove glare created by Pluto, Charon and background stars.

Pluto's Moons: Size and Brightness

Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Field (STScI)

This illustration shows the scale and comparative brightness of Pluto’s four tiny moons, as observed by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope from 2005 through 2012. Pluto’s binary companion, Charon (discovered in 1978) is placed at the bottom for scale. The textures seen here are purely for illustration purposes.

Pluto and Charon - Pluto centric View

Credit: NASA

This color view of Pluto and its largest moon Charon show the pair in a Pluto-centric view as seen by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during one of nine observations between May 29 and June 3, 2015. New Horizons will fly close by Pluto on July 14.

New Horizons' Image of Pluto Deconvolved

These images, taken by the LORRI instrument, have been processed using a method called deconvolution, which sharpens the original images to enhance features on Pluto. Deconvolution can occasionally introduce "false" details, so the finest details in these pictures will need to be confirmed by images taken from closer range in the next few weeks.

Pluto and Charon in Orbital Dance

The dwarf planet Pluto (center) and its largest moon Charon are seen by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft in this still from an animated set of photos captured between July 19 and 24 in 2014. The New Horizons images show how Pluto and Charon orbit a central point, known as a barycenter. New Horizons will fly by Pluto, a space first, in July 2015.

New Horizons Image of Charon Orbiting Pluto

Credit: New Horizons

A still image from an animated GIF show New Horizon spacecraft's view of Charon orbiting Pluto in July 2014.

New Horizons Sees Pluto and Charon

Credit: New Horizons (via Twitter as ‏@NewHorizons2015)

New Horizons spacecraft viewed dwarf planet Pluto and its large moon Charon (about 10,500 miles or 17,000 km. apart) with its LORRI camera, at a distance of over 249 million miles (400 million km.). Image released July 24, 2014.

ALMA View of Pluto and Charon 2

Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF

ALMA radio observatory in Chile observed Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, on July 15, 2014.

Pluto and Charon on July 15, 2014

Credit: B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

A still from an animated image of ALMA data shows the motion of the moon Charon around the icy dwarf planet Pluto on July 15, 2014.

Pluto and Charon on July 11, 2014

Credit: B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

A still from an animated image of ALMA data shows the motion of the moon Charon around the icy dwarf planet Pluto on July 11, 2014.

Pluto and Charon Seen by New Horizons

New Horizons LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) composite image showing the detection of Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, cleanly separated from Pluto itself. The frame on the left is an average of six different LORRI images, each taken with an exposure time of 0.1 second. The frame to the right is the same composite image but with Pluto and Charon circled; Pluto is the brighter object near the center and Charon is the fainter object near its 11 o’clock position. Images released July 10, 2013. [Read the Full Story]

Charon as a 'Bump' on Pluto

Charon is visible as a “bump” moving around Pluto in the moon’s discovery images, taken with the 1.55-meter (61-inch) Kaj Strand Astrometric Reflector at the U.S. Naval Observatory’s Flagstaff Station in 1978. [Read the Full Story]

Kerberos and Styx Welcomed to Pluto System

Credit: IAU

The International Astronomical Union has officially approved Kerberos and Styx as the new names for two of Pluto's moons. Image released on July 2, 2013.

Colors of Pluto

Credit: Hubble

Dwarf planet Pluto is seen in an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Pluto's Satellite System Showing New Fourth Moon

Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)

Illustration of the Pluto satellite system orbits with newly discovered moon P4 highlighted, released July 20, 2011.

Pluto Moons Names Styx and Kerberos

Credit: SETI

The moons of Pluto, including newly named Styx and Kerberos (formerly P5 and P4), are shown in this SETI image during a Google+ Hangout webcast unveiling the new names on July 2, 2013.

Pluto System Showing Fifth Moon (P5)

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI Institute)

This image, taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, shows five moons orbiting the distant, icy dwarf planet Pluto. The green circle marks the newly discovered moon, designated P5, as photographed by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 on July 7, 2012.

Hubble Discovers a Fifth Moon Orbiting Pluto (Unannotated)

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI Institute)

A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reporting the discovery of another moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. Image released July 11, 2012.

Pluto-bound Spacecraft Spots Its Target

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI.

A white arrow marks Pluto in this New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) picture taken Sept. 21, 2006, marking the spacecraft's first look at its target planet.

Pluto Infographic

Credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com

Inside dwarf planet Pluto.

Compass and Scale Image of Pluto

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI institute)

New annotated image showing Pluto and moons, including the newly discovered P4, released July 20, 2011.

Fourth Moon Discovered Around Pluto

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Showalter (SETI institute)

Two labeled images of the Pluto system, released on July 20, 2011, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 ultraviolet visible instrument with newly discovered fourth moon P4 circled. The image on the left was taken on June 28, 2011. The image of the right was taken on July 3, 2011.

Hubble Finds Pluto's Moons Less than Colorful

Credit: NASA/ESA/A. Stern/H. Weaver/HST Pluto Companion Search Team.

These NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of Pluto and its moons were taken on March 2, 2006.

Two More Moons Discovered Orbiting Pluto

Credit: NASA/ESA/JHU/APL/SwRI

Hubble images revealing Pluto, its large moon Charon, and the planet's two new satellites. The candidate moons aren't visible in the short-exposure image [left], but can be seen in the middle and right-hand images.

Trick Allows Scrutiny of Pluto's Moon

Credit: MIT and Williams College

From left to right is the before, during and after of the occultation of C313.2 by Charon on July 11. The brightest object in the center of the frame is Pluto. Below and to the left is the merged light from Charon and the background star. During the occultation (center image), only Charon is visible. The images are from the 6.5-meter Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

New Portrait Made of Pluto and Its Moons

Credit: David Tholen

An image of the Pluto system taken with the one of the ground-based Keck telescopes in Hawaii. The Pluto system moved with respect to the background stars during the one hour of observations, leaving the stars trailed in this image.

To Pluto with Postage: Nine Souvenirs Stow Away on NASA Probe

This artist's rendering depicts the New Horizons spacecraft as it approaches Pluto and its moons in summer 2015.

The Pluto System As Seen from Nix or Hydra

Credit: NASA, ESA and G. Bacon (STScI).

The artist's concept gives a view of the Pluto system from the surface of Nix or Hydra, two of its moons discovered in 2005. Nix and Hydra are two to three times farther from Pluto than its large moon, Charon (to the right of Pluto), which was discovered in 1978.

Pluto's Identity Crisis Hits Classrooms and Bookstores

Credit: Lowell Observatory.

The announcement of Pluto's discovery in 1930, put out by the Lowell Observatory a few weeks after the observations had been made and analyzed.

Pluto's Atmosphere Warmer than Thought

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

Artist’s impression of how the surface of Pluto might look. The image shows patches of pure methane on the surface.

Pluto's Moon Is an Ice Machine

An artist's conception of Charon with Pluto in the background. The plumes and brighter spots depicted on Charon are thought to due to ammonia-laced water erupting from deep beneath the moon's surface.

Artist's Impression of Dwarf Planet Eris

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist's impression shows the distant dwarf planet Eris. New observations have shown that Eris is smaller than previously thought and almost exactly the same size as Pluto. Eris is extremely reflective and its surface is probably covered in frost formed from the frozen remains of its atmosphere.

Artist’s Impression of the Dwarf Planet Eris and Moon Dysnomia

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist's impression shows the distant dwarf planet Eris in the distance with its moon Dysmonia in the foreground. New observations have shown that Eris is smaller than previously thought and almost exactly the same size as Pluto. Eris is extremely reflective and its surface is probably covered in frost formed from the frozen remains of its atmosphere. Dysnomia appears to be a darker and less reflective body.

Dwarf Planet Eris' Shadow Path During November 2010 Occultation

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist’s impression shows the shadow of the dwarf planet Eris as it was crossing the Earth during the occultation during November 2010. The regions along the path saw a faint star briefly disappear as its light was blocked by Eris. Studies of where the event was seen, and for how long, have allowed astronomers to measure the size of Eris accurately for the first time. Surprisingly, they find it to be almost exactly the same size as Pluto and that it has a very reflective surface.

Artist's Impression of the Dwarf Planet Eris

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada

This artist's impression shows the distant dwarf planet Eris. New observations have shown that Eris is smaller than previously thought and almost exactly the same size as Pluto. Eris is extremely reflective and its surface is probably covered in frost formed from the frozen remains of its atmosphere. The distant Sun appears to the upper right and both Eris and its moon Dysnomia (center) appear as crescents.